What if~General MacArthur used Nukes on China?
General Douglas MacArthur is considered a hero in the US Military, after all he led the US to victory over Japan during World War 2, however when the Korean War escellated, MacArthur wanted to use Nuclear bombs to divert the Chinese, but Truman wouldn't go for it and which cost MacArthur his job. But what if in an alternate scenario, Truman gave MacArthur the authority to use Nukes? What would the world be like in this alternate reality, and how would it effect the Cold War? This is what this page to try to explain, but first (and always) some context, just scroll down to the "What if?" part of this page if you're only interested in reading the alternate scenario. Real History As the USA and South Korea were quickly pushing back the North Koreans to the Chinese border, MacArthur was debating to President Harry Truman about the use of Nuclear bombs (as Truman himself said after the USA confirmed their intervention in the Korean War that "Nothing was off the table", but quickly had a change of heart as South Korea and the USA were successful in pushing North Korea back into China, what came "off the table" was the use of Nukes. But as Mao-Tse-Tung saw the advancing of the Capitalist forces in Korea, he sends his own troops to aid North Korea. With this, North Korea and China psuhed back South Korea and the USA. However, MacArthur still had the intention to use Nukes, eventhough Truman said that the use of Nukes is no longer authorized, and this is when the debate went on between the 2. The debate went on for several weeks. Until Truman finally had enough of MacArthur's rabbling and relieved him of his commanding duties. So what began as a quick conflict for both sides, ended in a 2-year long stalemate with both dies of the Peninsula agreeing to a seize fire. What if? Here comes the question of the day, what if MacArthur was given the authority to use Nukes? How would the Korean War end, and how would it effect the Cold War? When MacArthur said that we wanted to Nuke China, he wasn't talking about blowing China off the face of the Earth. He had real plans for the Nukes, his plan for Nukes was to use around 50 of them and drop them all along the North Korean-Chinese Border to prevent Mao-Tse-Tung from sending in more troops into Korea, and virtually cutting off Korea from the rest of mainland Asia. Had MacArthur went along with this, it'll change our modern history. For one, the entire Korean Peninsula would be under one Flag and that will be South Korea's. South Korea would be like in our reality, it'll be under economic and political turmoil it'll take longer for it to recover from the war, if it fully recovers that is. But this would just effects in Korea or China however. This would also effect the aspects of the Cold War as well. Because the world would get out that the USA is willing to use Nukes on a whim, this would prompt other nations (namely the USSR) to also use them whenever they feel like it as well. Much like in World War 1 when the Central powers would use Mustard Gas against the Western Alliance Which is great for you: the user.. But don't expect that your enemies won't innovate, and try to use it against you too. Same goes here in this alternate reality. It would be nothing more than just a free-for-all with Nukes as the Soviets would probably use mukes against the Mujahadeen. Could this lead to the Cold War becoming hot, hard to say. Eventhough the USA had proved that any Nuclear Power can freely use their nukes in this alternate reality, but would it really be worth destroying the world over? Well both the USA and the USSR would think so even in this alternate reality. But one thing that can be generally assumed is that the Cold War would definitely continue even after the fall of the Soviet Government in 1991, but who would continue this Cold War? China, that's who. As the USA nuked the Korean-Chinese Border, they wouldn't take kindly to the USA due to this and probably would remain stunchly communist (even after the death of Mao-Tse-Tung) as they would try to continue the USSR's work and hate capitalism (especially the USA: the nation that nuked it). Would MacArthur still be recognized as a hero, that is also hard to answer. Yes, he would be still known as one of the men who won WW2 in the Pacific but he would also be recognized as the man who could've jump started WW3 with his mthods of Nuking China, but one thing would be definite is that he would be the reason why the USA and China's relationship would never recover, and why the Cold War would continue with China continuing it. Well that si it for this page, what do you think would've happened if MacArthur Nuked China? Don't forget to check out my Games and Movies wikis. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS singing out.